Xie Ming

As the young man and woman strolled through the garden, they drifted to Qingfeng Pavilion and then turned east to pass through the courtyard.

This area is a suitable place to read books and documents. The two characters "劝进" (encourage advancement) are written on the plaque in front of the hall, and the nanmu pillars on the left and right are quite serene.

Several stone peaks, resembling humans and beasts, stand silently in the courtyard in front of the hall, guarding the passage of time.

The walls on both sides are very high, and the clear sky overhead is cut into squares of plain blue silk.

The silence was unsettling; all that could be heard was the rustling of the wind through the bamboo forest.

A few clear bird calls came from some hidden corner, leaving only emptiness.

"Oh dear!"

Suddenly, when turning the corner, a corner of the blue brick was missing, indicating that it had not been repaired.

Chen Wanying's embroidered shoe missed a spot, as if she had twisted her ankle.

Upon seeing this, Xiao Lang quickly stepped forward to help him up.

I don't know whether this was a woman's intention or not, and what can be done about it?

In that instant, the two held their breath and huddled together, close to each other.

When Wanying glanced at her timid face with her clear, bright eyes, her cheeks immediately flushed red.

"Thank you very much."

Shyly holding a peach, coy and hesitant.

"With the nation in mourning and a new dynasty newly established, the Duke's political and military affairs are all in his hands."

"Knowing you're busy, I really shouldn't bother you like this."

He looked up and murmured something he didn't mean.

"You must be fed up with all the pleading and requests, even going so far as to appeal to your wife, right?"

"I come from a humble family, and I am nothing more than a naive and ignorant girl who has never experienced anything."

"At this time, they rushed here in great numbers. It is already a great blessing to be able to see the Duke in person."

"If you do not wish to linger here, I will not dare to stay any longer and will leave the manor immediately."

"Otherwise, it would seem like we don't understand the proper etiquette and hierarchy."

Concealing one's strength in one's sleeve, retreating is a strategic advance.

These complex emotions are likely the tricks and cunning methods commonly used by women.

As expected, Xiao Lang was young and vigorous, and this million enemy soldiers were not to be feared. However, when it came to matters of love and affection, he was not a true master.

Ah, this.

"What are you saying, Miss?"

"However, it is indeed true that the previous dynasty was busy with affairs."

"For many days, there has been a great deal of neglect."

"I hope you won't take it to heart, Miss."

She looked flustered, which Wanying noticed, but she immediately withdrew her wrist and moved away.

If you leave, I'll follow.

The atmosphere between the two had subtly changed.

In just a few steps, he turned around and glanced back.

With her almond-shaped eyes glancing at him deliberately, Wan Ying then secretly chuckled, covering her mouth with her sleeve.

"Uh, what?"

Why are you laughing?

At this moment, Xiao looked like a green recruit.

The air of a duke that he had just worn was gone.

"It's nothing, it's just..."

"I just feel that what the Duke thought was not quite the same as what my daughter had thought before."

Chen Wanying flirted and spoke in a sweet, seductive voice, which was very provocative.

"Oh?"

"Hehe, so is it better, or..."

Clearly, Xiao had been led astray and ventured into the fragrant grass, unknowingly losing his way.

Continuing on, you'll reach a small courtyard near the Washing Rain Pavilion.

The banana tree in the corner has very large, green leaves that hang there, almost dripping with oil.

At the base of the banana leaf, there was another small lake stone, covered with thick green moss, its fuzzy surface draped over it.

When the rain comes, it will beat down on the banana leaves, sounding like the clear, melodious notes of a zither.

If it were a sunny day like today, the sunlight would stream in, casting countless shimmering spots of light and shadow on the ground and walls, like scattered pieces of silver.

Within a small space, one can glimpse the world, preserve the scenery of the four seasons, and also strive to retain the hearts of visitors.

It's truly a place that can only be understood intuitively, not explained in words. "Eh?!"

"Honeypot Flower?"

"I never imagined that the little patch that my sister and I planted haphazardly when we were kids would still be there."

Suddenly, after turning a corner and passing through a corridor, I saw a patch of flowers under an old maple tree. It was only a small area, but it looked quite out of place.

Chen Wanying exclaimed, her expression showing surprise, and didn't wait for Xiao to ask any more questions.

The girl lifted her skirt and happily jumped onto the flower field.

A beam of light happened to be positioned at the slant of the maple tree's crown.

It has a touch of fresh rain in the empty mountains, and the slanting sunlight is like shattered glass.

As Wanying, in her pale yellow dress, leaped like an elf among the flowers, the light shining down fell upon her.

Her already fair skin has become even more radiant.

Suddenly, she lightly rolled up her sleeves and deftly plucked a flower with her fingers, revealing a section of her snow-white, soft arm.

"Come on, come on."

"Here, this bigger one is for you."

"It's very sweet."

With her hands on her hips, a smile playing on her lips, almond-shaped eyes, red lips and green eyebrows, she exudes a unique and charming allure.

Before he knew it, Xiao Jingchuan was completely mesmerized.

Only after the girl scolded him and urged him again did he regain his composure and step forward.

As for the little purple flower called Honey Pot, Ye Xiao gazed at it with longing.

The flower was plucked from Wanying's fingers, and then, her slender fingers shone in the light. She pinched and twisted the orchid with her fingers, and then the orchid was put into her mouth.

Bright eyes and white teeth, radiant with springtime charm, right before my eyes.

That taste is even sweeter than honey!
"kindness?"

"Guo, Guo Gongye?"

"What's wrong?" Wanying asked cleverly.

"Did you ever eat flowers when you were a child, and experience such a wild and natural feeling?"

"Pale purple, long buds, soft downy hairs."

"There's honey inside. You should pluck this flower crown off, put it in your mouth, and savor the nectar inside."

"you"

She was earnest and earnest, and her words and expressions were incredibly endearing.

However, upon hearing her words, Xiao snapped out of his daze and clearly restrained himself, a glint of infatuation flashing in his eyes as he suppressed most of his passion.

Chen Wanying was an exceptionally intelligent and perceptive woman. With just a glance and a few words, she had already grasped Xiao Lang's every move.

He paused midway through his sentence, noticing a change in the Duke's expression, and quickly regained his composure.

"Well, my daughter was a little impulsive and behaved improperly. I hope the Duke will not take offense."

After the incident, Wanying noticed something amiss and quickly changed her strategy.

In contrast, Xiao Jingchuan, who had remained silent until now, was now holding the freshly picked honey pot flower in his fingertips, examining it closely with great interest, hoping to clear his mind.

Pretending not to care much, he casually steered the conversation away from the main point.

"Ah, no, no."

"Miss, you have a free and easy nature, so there's no need to be too reserved."

"Uh, this."

"If I remember correctly, this should be the flower bud of Rehmannia glutinosa, right?"

"Ah, the climate in Jiangnan is truly wonderful."

"At this time of year, if this were in the north, the seeds would already be forming."

“I’ve been busy lately and have hardly been to the back garden. As soon as I looked down, it looked familiar.”

"As expected, the part buried at the bottom is common, but this is the most romantic flower on top, yet I can't remember it."

"Among herbs, none is more nourishing than Rehmannia glutinosa."

"It is also a standard item in the military."

"This stuff is needed for both blood and qi depletion and for the great recovery from injuries."

"Ah, yes, horses can be eaten too."

"The old horse ate it and became strong; the foal, however, ate it by mistake..."

Xiao Jingchuan deliberately changed the subject, failing to understand romance and dissipating feelings.

He rambled on and on, ruining the mood with his long, rambling speech. (End of Chapter)